This blog is intended to serve as a repository for issues related to Design and a forum for this designer to share his perspective on the factors that have and are shaping the profession.
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Contact: myroncurtissmith@hotmail.com

Tuesday, September 25, 2007

If you are in the Washington DC/ Balitmore area you might want to consider checking out the tradeshow focused on the built environment (interiors and furnishing) and more.

Focus on Design (FOD), a DC based non-profit programming aim is to promote and empower design students and professionals, has invited Dr. Elizabeth Tunstal to share her insights on Wednesday October 17th at 2PM.

Tuesday, September 18, 2007

Last week in New York was the star studded affair called fashion week.

What I fail to understand is the disconnected reality within which the industry exists. The continuing criticisms: 1) the absence of people of color - notably excluded from those chosen to strut down the cat walks and 2) the inappropriate garments that do not consider "real people".

The point of interest for me was seeing the rapper LL Cool J (aka Todd Stephens) sitting front row at a number of shows taking notes (figuratively). Specifically, it was the contrast of his personal aesthetic to the models and designers on show. So what I see is the power of a hip-hop aesthetic coming to fashion week to provide some diversity to this fantasy land of fashion.

Wednesday, September 12, 2007

The Frankfurt Auto appears to be a significant show for the industry based on the quality of the vehicles introduced there over the past week.

The number of beautiful forms coming out of this show demonstrates a new level of consciousness about proportion that results in very attractive cars, even when it length is less than ten feet like the Toyota iQ concept. The shape of the iQ provides this micro car with the appearance of girth and a stance that is really very nice.

The smooth flow of lines are reminiscent of BMW's approach of using the vehicles lines to connect and unify its parts into a whole.

The New York Time's real estate magazine includes a slide show of the thought process that led to its cover design. The influence of the client on the final design is an interesting detail not to be over looked.

Wednesday, September 05, 2007

After many years (3) of faithful service my 4th generation iPod died. In meantime what has happened to the competition? The Sony Walkman once king of mobile music players is surprisingly absent from my view. Microsoft's Zune does not seem to have captured the imagination of many,or it is just me?

And so I am left to select among the expanding varitions of the iPod for one that best suits my needs. This is something I will do gladly, partly because Apple is "pushing the envelope". In other words addressing the needs of consumers (me) with products that provide a level of freedom/independence that the other industry leaders refuse to trust consumers (me) with. As music companies had before itunes, now cell phone providers are resisting the desires of consumers to be free...